Mushroom Coral Species Overview
Mushroom corals, scientifically classified as corallimorphs, belong to the order Corallimorpharia within the subclass Hexacorallia, making them more closely related to stony corals than soft corals despite their fleshy appearance. These fascinating organisms lack the hard calcium carbonate skeleton of true corals, earning them the designation as "false corals" or "disc anemones," though they exhibit six-fold symmetry characteristic of stony corals rather than the eight-fold symmetry of soft corals.
These corallimorphs are distinguished by their distinctive oral disc - the umbrella-shaped or flat, circular structure surrounding their protruding mouth. Their tentacles appear as small bumps, warts, or beads (called papillae or verrucae) across their disc surface, giving many species their characteristic textured appearance. The "stalk" portion is called the column, and the attachment point to substrate is the pedal disc.
Mushroom corals exhibit remarkable color diversity, ranging from solid hues to complex patterns including stripes, spots, mottled designs, and gradient combinations. Colors span the entire spectrum including vibrant greens, blues, reds, oranges, purples, and metallic sheens, with many species displaying contrasting tentacle and body colors that create stunning visual displays.
Caring for Mushroom Coral
To ensure the best results for your mushroom coral, please follow our suggestions on coral care below. It's important to test your tank's water often to ensure the parameters are within the correct range.
Water Parameters
- Temperature: 75-82°F (24-28°C)
- Salinity: 1.025
- pH: 8.0-8.4
- Alkalinity: 8-11 dKH
- Calcium: 380-450 ppm (less critical than for stony corals)
- Magnesium: 1250-1350 ppm
- Nitrate: <20 ppm (more tolerant than stony corals)
- Phosphate: <0.1 ppm (can tolerate higher levels)
Lighting
Placement: Bottom 25% of tank, including substrate and lower rockwork areas Lighting requirements for mushroom corals fall within 50-150 PAR, with most species thriving in the lower portion of this range.
These corallimorphs are adapted for lower light conditions and can suffer from excessive lighting, which may cause them to detach and float around the tank seeking more suitable conditions.
Water Flow
Low to moderate water flow that provides gentle circulation without overwhelming the polyps. Mushroom corals prefer calmer conditions and can detach from substrate if subjected to excessive water movement.
Provide just enough flow to prevent detritus accumulation while allowing the corals to extend fully and capture nutrients from the water column.
Placement, Temperament, & Notes on Fish
Bottom areas and lower rockwork provide ideal placement for mushroom corals. While generally peaceful toward other species, they can be semi-aggressive when territory becomes constrained and may engage in chemical warfare (allelopathy) when growing in large numbers. Running activated carbon is recommended in systems with abundant mushroom populations to counteract chemical interactions.
Most mushroom species can coexist peacefully with their own kind, and many will readily colonize available substrate through asexual reproduction. However, they require adequate space to expand and should not be placed too close to other coral types that they might overgrow.
Feeding
Mushroom corals are polytrophic, obtaining nutrition through multiple pathways including photosynthesis via zooxanthellae, direct nutrient absorption from water, and active feeding when appropriate. While not requiring regular feeding like some corals, they can benefit from occasional supplementation with small meaty foods, phytoplankton, and zooplankton.
Larger species like elephant ear mushrooms can accept substantial food items similar to anemones. If aggressive protein skimming is employed, mushroom corals may require additional feeding support as they rely partially on dissolved nutrients in the water column.
Explore Our Mushroom Coral Varieties
At Sanctuary Aquatics, we have dozens of mushroom coral varieties to choose from. Our collection spans the full range of sizes from tiny colorful specimens perfect for filling small spaces to massive elephant ear varieties that serve as dramatic centerpiece displays.
Popular choices available at Sanctuary Aquatics include our Pink Interstellar Mushroom and Bounce Mushroom varieties. Whether you're seeking your first easy-care coral or hunting for that perfect designer specimen to complete a high-end collection, our mushroom coral selection provides options for every aquarist and every budget.
With proper care, mushroom corals offer unmatched rewards through their rapid reproduction, stunning color displays, and incredible hardiness that makes them virtually indestructible when basic requirements are met. These corallimorphs provide the perfect combination of beauty, ease of care, and fascinating biology that continues to captivate reef enthusiasts worldwide.
Contact our team today online or by phone at 920-385-4802 to see our mushroom coral selection and get personal advice for your saltwater aquarium needs. As always, be sure to check out our full saltwater coral collection here to see all the species we have available.
